The Absolute Sound Editors Choice Awards - 7 integrated Amps for less than $1000

[cubdog]

As far as the Jolida is concerned does anyone know which Jolida company make it? One or both or has that situation been resolved? I have no confidence in Jolida no matter how good the products may be until that mess is resolved. The amp, however, is very attractive no matter who made it.

cubdog

 

[reggaenaut]

The Jolida really hit me.

 

[sideways2]

I've owned that Jolida...very nice...especially re-tubed with Matsushita's!!!

And...I ran my Maggies with it...not loud but at a very pleasent level

 

[luvvinvinyl]

I've owned that Jolida, as well. Very nice, and convenient as all get-out, with the remote. I rolled out the stock tubes and enjoyed the results. The Jolida performs well even (especially?) at low volumes. I never wanted for a "loudness" function.

I've heard all the rest listed, except the NuForce. If I had a small space, and I do, the Jolida would be my choice, of the group. In the interest of full disclosure, I sold it, because it couldn't push my Almarro off the shelf.

 

[luvvinvinyl]

Mine came from the Maryland crowd.

 

[sideways2]

Mine did as well...and I sold mine to a friend locally who was dying to try tubes...and I had more gear at the time than I needed...he's still has it

 

[BrocLuno]

I'm impressed by the look of the Nuforce and love the art decco Jolida. It's really cool that this stuff is rolling out. But, where's the silver faced

If I were building a new black system which is not what I do, but if - I'd be sorely temped to go with the stealth black Nuforce.

 

[reggaenaut]

But, where's the silver faced :

Serious question!

 

[JohnVF]

This is silver and $500:

http://www.teac.com/product/a-h01/

Has a built in DAC and heritage from their high-end line Esoteric and Class-D ICEpower amplication.

I've thought about it often as an amp for my desk at work. I don't know why it rarely gets reviewed..maybe it sounds bad? With ICEpower amplification I doubt it.

 

[cubdog]

This is silver and $500:

http://www.teac.com/product/a-h01/

Has a built in DAC and heritage from their high-end line Esoteric and Class-D ICEpower amplication.

I've thought about it often as an amp for my desk at work. I don't know why it rarely gets reviewed..maybe it sounds bad? With ICEpower amplification I doubt it.

I love Teac stuff and that is a nice one. Pair that with a Squeezebox and a nice pair of speakers, you're done.

cubdog

 

[I.R.Brainiac]

This is silver and $500:

http://www.teac.com/product/a-h01/

Has a built in DAC and heritage from their high-end line Esoteric and Class-D ICEpower amplication.

I've thought about it often as an amp for my desk at work. I don't know why it rarely gets reviewed..maybe it sounds bad? With ICEpower amplification I doubt it.

Ooh...nice...I find myself really wanting to try that. It has a sub out and a motorized volume control. :yes:

 

[boojum]

It's simply amazing what you can get for under a grand now-a-days. Especially those around $600!

As for the Marantz, those new models are really nice and will go some ways to giving the China high-end manufacturers a good name. As I've said before, there's very good evidence inside them that they are being built by Shanling. (yes, I am biased)

Brett a, did you purchase that Shanling A-300 directly out of China, or is there a USA importer?

 

[ranch 22b]

This integrated from Teac looks interesting also:

http://www.teac.com/product/ai-501da/

'Very nice to see a manufacturer offering new products in silver to the USA.

 

[thedelihaus]

This integrated from Teac looks interesting also:

http://www.teac.com/product/ai-501da/

'Very nice to see a manufacturer offering new products in silver to the USA.

It looks beautiful. 90W/ch at 4 ohms so probably 45-60wpc at 8?

Two issues for me- no phono stage, and my biggest frustration, no balance control. Perhaps only issues to me, especially the balance control, as many new product have seemed to have done away with this.

$849.00

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-120508-teac-ai-501da-integrated-amp.aspx

 

[Bigerik]

It looks beautiful. 90W/ch at 4 ohms so probably 45-60wpc at 8?

Two issues for me- no phono stage, and my biggest frustration, no balance control. Perhaps only issues to me, especially the balance control, as many new product have seemed to have done away with this.

$849.00

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-120508-teac-ai-501da-integrated-amp.aspx

I think the balance control thing is just a conspiracy to annoy you.

 

[thedelihaus]

I think the balance control thing is just a conspiracy to annoy you.

I think you are correct, sir!

It's probably no big deal for most folk. And i understand why manufacturers do it- both cost savings and less in the signal path to degrade sound.

But my room setup has a small imbalance and I need to shift/tweak the balance to the left in both the bedroom and living room systems.

Oh- and I have a Dave Van Ronk recording I love, but they panned his vocals completely to the left, and the right channel is pretty quiet, so in that case, I need to shift everything to the right, to make it listenable.:sigh:

 

[Bigerik]

I think I will sticky this one for a bit.

 

[davidro]

That Teac looks pretty impressive.

 

[MudSlideSlim]

In defense of Balance Controls

Well for we who are living in a near field desktop universe balance controls are definitely nice, either I move my body or I adjust my balance controls. OK, I have my legs up resting on my desk, I’m comfortable and I would love to balance things without changing my perfectly comfortable angle of repose that I am in. But no way; my DAC preamp does not have balance controls. It is enough to drive an audiophile to drink or at least refill his wine glass and work on re-establishing his areole sweet spot. My choice of adjective is lacking but I lack balance controls.

Michael

 

[he11fire]

In defense of Balance Controls

Well for we who are living in a near field desktop universe balance controls are definitely nice, either I move my body or I adjust my balance controls. OK, I have my legs up resting on my desk, I’m comfortable and I would love to balance things without changing my perfectly comfortable angle of repose that I am in. But no way; my DAC preamp does not have balance controls. It is enough to drive an audiophile to drink or at least refill his wine glass and work on re-establishing his areole sweet spot. My choice of adjective is lacking but I lack balance controls.

Michael

Any chance of using balance controls on your source? If you're feeding your DAC with a PC/Mac, you could always do it that way.